This invention relates in general to turf pavers and, more specifically, to an improved turf compatible paver system having a number of advantages when used for golf cart paths or the like.
Concrete blocks or grids having a number of apertures have been used for some time for driveways, parking areas and the like. Blocks are laid with the apertures vertical and the upper block surface at the desired driving level. The apertures are partially filled with soil and grass is planted therein. The blocks have sufficient strength to be driven upon by automobiles or other vehicles and the grass pattern provides an attractive appearance. The blocks protect the grass from direct impact on grass roots and crowns, prevent mud and limit or prevent erosion from water running across the area. Typical of such paving blocks are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,301,148, 3,343,468, and 4,370,075.
While these concrete blocks are excellent for use in parking lots, driveways and roads, they have a number of disadvantages when used for golf cart paths, patios or the like. They are heavy, difficult to install and expensive. The pattern of concrete grid and grass area is large scale, with much concrete showing. When used for golf cart paths or paths across the outfield of a part-time baseball field or similar facilities, a ball that bounces on them will rebound much more sharply than normal if it squarely hits a concrete area or will rebound erratically at an odd angle if it strikes the edge of corner of the concrete grid. This requires that golf cart paths be located in the rough, requiring players to walk from the path into the fairway, or even to the opposite side of a fairway to hit a shot, slowing play greatly. Paths across ball field areas in multi-use parks cannot safely use concrete pavers because of the danger of erratic bounces as a fielder attempts to catch a bouncing ball. Such large-scale pavers are not comfortable for walking along, especially for women wearing high heeled shoes.
Attempts have been made to make turf pavers from plastic materials, such as is described in Mascaro's U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,585. These are much like the concrete turf pavers, except that the grid walls are much thinner, allowing a greater grass area relative to grid area. The cells are relatively, large and deep appearing to have widths of greater than 2 inches in the Mascaro patent. Systems for interlocking adjacent modules tend to be inflexible, preventing slightly angling adjacent modules to allow the path to curve. Many of the concrete and plastic pavers have large notches in the upper edges of cell walls to allow grass stolons to grow from cell to cell. These notches, however, provide additional corners which may be struck by a bouncing ball, causing erratic and unpredictable bounce directions and distances.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved turf compatible paving systems allowing easy and convenient installation, improved strength, reduced cost, and which allow a bouncing golf ball or the like to bounce in a normal manner, substantially the same as from turf.